Empty Spaces
by spooksfan08
Summary: The boys have to manage without Sandra. It's a race against time, can they help Sandra before it's too late?Someone Sandra arrested in the days before UCOS is back for revenge.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer not mine I do not own anything related to New Tricks. The BBC own it and no copyright infringement is intended or should be inferred.**

**Monday**

"Well? Where the bleedin' ell is she?" Gerry barked as Jack shrugged his shoulders.

"All I know Gerry is that she isn't in her office. She isn't in Court today and she isn't answering her mobile" Jack watched as Gerry began pacing the office. Brian stared at both his friends.

"I dunno Jack. I don't like this" He unfastened his cycle helmet as Gerry nodded.

"If he is worried" Gerry pointed at Brian "Then we really do av problems. Look, you don't think something has 'sppened do you? To Sandra I mean?"

"No" Jack lied "If it had we would know by now"

Jack sighed as the office doors swung open. Strickland walked in and glared at the three men. Brian glared back as Gerry continued pacing the office. No one had heard from Sandra since she had left them in the pub Friday night. No one wanted to admit they were all desperately worried.

"Well as she got a boyfriend or summin?" Brian asked as Strickland raised an eyebrow.

"I assume you are talking about Superintendant Sandra Pullman" He watched as Gerry pulled a face.

"Course we are. Who the bleedin ell would we be talking about? Hold up, you know something dontcha?" Gerry walked towards his senior officer. Strickland sighed.

"You are right to be concerned. Look Sandra was supposed to be at a conference yesterday. Traditional Policing in the Modern Era. She didn't turn up. She didn't answer her mobile and her house phone is out of order"

"Did you go round to hers?" Gerry felt a familiar sense of dread in the pit of his stomach. Jack ran a hand over his face. He didn't like the sound of this at all. It wasn't like Strickland to go to them. All the really important things went through Sandra._ But she isn't here. _He reminded himself. Strickland leant against Brian's desk as he nodded.

"Not at first. I assumed something had come up with either her mother or one of the cases you are working on. But when I still couldn't get an answer this morning I went round to her house" Strickland explained.

"And?" Jack prompted.

"And Sandra wasn't there. I found signs of forced entry. Forensic officers are there as I speak. Sandra is missing"

"No" Brian shook his head. "She can't be"

"She is Brian. I found the front door had been forced. So I went in. There are signs of a skuffle. An altercation of some sort. I know she could handle herself but there was what appeared to be blood on the carpet and around the doorframe. Her glass coffee table has been smashed. I'm sorry" He folded his arms as all three men stared at him in silence.

"Can"

"Sorry Gerry" Strickland was at a loss for words.

"You said she could handle herself. Past tense. She ain't dead. She's missing. That blood might not be hers. Sandra can handle herself, she's got more balls than most men I know." Gerry almost shouted.

"There was a lot of blood" Strickland sounded lost. Jack closed his eyes. He refused to believe what he was hearing.

"Look, I've known Sandra Pullman since she was 14. She's tough. We'll find her" Jack watched as Brian seemed to calm a little. Gerry continued to glare at Strickland.

"Yeah" Gerry answered

"I am sorry but this is a new case. I can't let you get involved." Strickland pulled himself to his full height.

"Oh can't you?" Gerry countered "You just try and stop us! Sandra is our guv'ner and we are going to find her"

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Sandra felt sick. The waves of nausea had been washing over her since she had been hit over the head. Wincing slightly she tried to reach up to touch her hairline, where the congealed blood had matted her blonde hair. She swore under her breath as she realised her wrists were bound together with her own handcuffs. It was then she also realised someone else was in the room.

"Why have you done this? What do you want?" Sandra did her best to sound menacing. It was difficult when she looked and felt as bad as she did. The woman in the chair opposite smiled slightly before standing and walking out the room. Anger whelled up in the pit of her stomach as the woman left.

"Oi! Come back. I haven't finished with you yet!" She called but doubted if anyone had heard her. Instead she closed her eyes as a decidedly male voice whispered in her ear.

"Maybe not luv, but I aint finished with you either" Sandra bit her bottom lip as once again the world decended into darkness.

**A/N Not written New Tricks for a while. Should I continue with this? Please review.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer I do not own New Tricks.**

**Care?**

Sandra closed her eyes as she tried to focus on the events of the previous weekend. She knew she had meant to go to a conference with Strickland. It was the only hope she had that someone would have noticed her missing. Then there was Mrs Lewis who lived across the road. The woman was nosiness personified. The type of woman police really liked, except when they lived next door to them. She tried to concentrate but the constant blare of the radio, accompanied by the headache that was beginning to knaw away at her skull made it difficult to recall anything significant. She opened her eyes as she realised the man that had whispered in her ear should still be in prison.

"McCarthy. I should have guessed" She muttered under her breath as she felt her skin crawl. She knew the boys would never be allowed to pursue the case once she had been missed. Active misper cases were never part of the UCOS remit. Not many people outside of UCOS would even think to look so far back in her professional past. She shuddered as for the first time since she had opened her front door on Friday evening she began to think she really was alone.

Xxxxxxxxx

Emily and Clarky exchanged glances as they walked quietly into the UCOS office. Both were aware that along with Pushkar they had only been assigned to the case because they had worked with UCOS before. Clarky shrugged his shoulders as he saw Gerry staring at Sandra's deserted office.

"Dad" Emily started as she walked towards him. "Have you heard anything?"

"'ello Emily luv. Clarky" He sighed

"Gerry" Clarky smiled "Look has there been any news?"

"No. Nuffin. It's like she disappeared off the face of the Earth. Jack has gone to talk to her mother but I don't think Mrs Pullman will know anything. Or if she does she wont be able to tell us" Gerry folded his arms. He knew Strickland had pulled every trick in the book to make sure the three of them were assigned to the case. DI Wilson from CID had fought tooth and nail to head the enquiry and was still annoyed when DAC Strickland had stated he would be the officer in charge of the investigation. Sandra was a Superintendent and was likely to be made up to Chief Superintendent before long. That rank he had stated deserved the respect of being investigated by her peers and her own team. Therefore he had seconded Emily, Pushkar and Clarky to UCOS. The team had to have at least three serving police officers as well as the UCOS team. Gerry smiled as he thought of how upset regular CID had been. That at least had made his spirits a little lighter.

"Why wouldn't Sandra's mum know anything?" Pushkar shoved his hands in his pockets as Emily turned to him.

"She lives in a nursing home. She had a major CVA three years ago. She had another one earlier in the year. Her communication was affected" Emily watched as Gerry nodded.

"CVA?" Pushkar frowned.

"Oh, sorry medical term for a stroke. My sister is a nurse" Emily stated proudly. "Cerebral Vascular Accident."

"Anyway" Gerry tried to bring the younger officers back on track "Brian has gone down to records. He's gonna av a look, see if he can find something from the cases she worked on before UCOS"

"Good idea" Strickland appeared behind Emily as Clarky turned sharply.

"Sir, is there anything Sandra may have worked on that put her in the line of fire?" Clarky asked. Gerry rolled his eyes as Emily raised her eyebrows.

"She has worked on hundreds of cases since she was promoted to CID. She was the youngest ever female officer to gain the rank of DC. That in itself gave her enemies. Sexism took a while to die out" Strickland sighed.

"Really?" Emily folded her arms across her chest "The death of sexism? I thought it still had a pulse"

"Not in my station Detective Sergeant. If there is I want to know about it"

"Yes Sir" Emily sighed.

"And so do I" Gerry butted in as Emily shook her head and smiled. For a moment she realised how difficult it must have been for Sandra back in the days when she was a young WPC. Gerry turned as Brian and Jack entered the office together.

"Ah, Brian, Jack" Strickland sighed "Anything?"

"Not really" Jack sighed as he sat at his desk "I told her Sandra is missing and she asked me what happened between Angie and Dirty Den. I don't think she was able to process anything I said"

"That's sad. I really don't want to get old" Clarky sighed.

"Oi, she's five years older than me that's all!" Jack shouted. Strickland shook his head. He was glad that Gerry spoke up.

"And you Brian?"

"Sandra, like all of us in this job made a few enemies. I looked mostly at cases that came before UCOS. In 1989 she was the arresting officer in a murder case. The Royal Public House was burgled. The landlord shot and died on scene as the robber made his getaway"

"And?" Emily was rapt

"And two people were arrested. Eleanor Lincoln and her fiancé, fellow heroin addict Peter 'Mad Dog' McCarthy were arrested three days later. Sandra gave evidence in Court"

"I remember that case. It was solid. I was the DCI, Sandra was the DC. Just joined us felt she had something to prove. Only woman on the team" Jack shook his head "She was bloody good, even in those days."

"Hang on a minute" Gerry raised his hand "Can we all stop talking about her as if she is dead? She is still a MisPer as far as I am aware."

Brian closed his eyes at his friend's words. He shook his head. He didn't want to face it but he knew this time at least the others were not going to face reality.

"You know Gerry. The longer a MisPer is missing the more chance there is that we are looking for a body. That statistic doesn't change just because it's our Sandra that is missing" He placed his cycle helmet on the desk as he spoke. Everyone was quiet for a moment. Jack looked up at his friends. He could see Gerry was barely keeping his temper.

"She's alive" Gerry spat as he grabbed his jacket and marched out of the office. Emily went to follow him when Jack caught her wrist in his own.

"Emily luv. Leave him." She was about to protest "He's right. Sandra is alive. We just have to start looking in the right places"

"Such as?" Emily really was at a loss.

"Forensics will be back in the next few hours. Until then I want to talk to Eleanor and Peter. Seems as good a place to start as any" Emily nodded as she picked up her coat.

"Come on then" She smiled as Jack followed her out of the room.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sandra glared at the woman in front of her. She knew she recognised the skinny blonde. The woman wasn't much younger than her. The half light afforded by the daylight creeping through the half closed blinds made her look thinner, more angulated. Sandra racked her brains trying to put a name to the face in front of her.

"I know you don't I?" Sandra didn't like how croaky her voice sounded. The woman in front of her shrugged her shoulders.

"You might remember me"

"I think I do. Old Bailey about twenty years ago"

"You lied about me under oath"

"Oh I don't think so" Sandra glared.

"Really? You said I killed a man"

"That's right. Eleanor Lincoln. You were going out with a right psycho. What was his name? Mad Dog? Anyway you hit a pub landlord over the head. He died" Sandra was suddenly remembering her first case in CID. She had arrested the woman in front of her. Jack had arrested her boyfriend.

"Peter" Eleanor smiled.

"That's right" Sandra leant forwards "So what's this got to do with me now? You've been out of prison, what five years?"

"Four and a half. On licence"

"On licence? You do know you will go straight back inside when they catch you? And whatever you do with me they will catch you. You see twenty years ago I was a young DC. Loved my job and had a lot to live for. Now I really don't care what you do with me. 49, single, no kids no fella, even my mother doesn't know who I am anymore. Just the job. A job they can easily fill when I either leave or get killed. So you see why should I care what you with me? I am not going to be any use to you. I'm not scared. I just don't care anymore" Sandra shocked herself as she spoke.

"You don't care if you live or die" Eleanor scoffed.

"No, honestly I don't. And that scares the hell out of you doesn't it" Sandra smiled slightly as she realised that for the first time since she had been abducted she had the upper hand.

**A/N Does Sandra really care if she lives or dies? Will Emily and the boys work out what has happened? Please review.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer I do not own New Tricks. **

**Breakthrough?**

Sandra was beginning to get slightly worried. She had no idea how long she had been missing and no idea how long she had been on her own in the tiny room. It was beginning to get annoying. _Someone must know I am missing by now surely? Come on boys work it out. Oh God, those three on their own. They'll be fine. _She screwed her eyes shut as she thought of Jack, Brian and Gerry. _What am I thinking? Jack will be trying to work out where all the pieces fit, Gerry will be walking round like a neathanderal and Brian will be on his fifth panic attack by now. Right, Sandra you got yourself in this mess you get yourself out of it. Question is how? _

She looked around the run down living room. It really did seem she was on her own. The curtains that covered the only window blocked out any light, making it difficult to tell whether it was night or day. She cursed under her breath as she realised getting out of the room was just part of the problem.

"Bloody Hell" She whispered as she felt the wire that bound her hands dig into her skin. "I don't care what happens to me now you pair of scum bags but I am not having you worry those three into early graves, for one thing Esther and Gerry's ex-wives would never forgive me" She stood gingerly and walked to the door, realising the only reason her feet hadn't been bound was that there was absolutely no way of getting the door open from the inside.

Xxxxxxxxxxxx

Brian pulled his woolly hat off and threw it on his desk as Pushkar turned to face him.

"Anything?"

"Peter Mad Dog McCarthy was a model prisoner" Brian was less than happy.

"He shot an unconscious man in the face. Lincoln hit him, he killed him" Gerry answered "How does that make him a model bloody prisoner?"

"I dunno Gerry" Brian sighed. "I just dunno"

"Ok, so we know those two" Pushkar pointed at the photographs on the board. "We know that however well they behaved in prison they are both nasty little sods that killed a man in cold blood and have a grudge against Sandra"

"But they aint the only ones" Gerry sighed. "I mean she's put hundreds of no marks behind bars"

"Yeah but these two are the first ones that went to prison solely on her evidence. It was the 1980s. Forensics weren't the be all and end all they are now" Jack sighed. "Look, she was new in CID. She was the only woman and she worked twice as hard as any of the men on my team including myself. I told you I was her DI?" Jack looked at the floor for a moment remembering the young blonde woman that had walked into his Squad Room and shook the department by the balls. Gerry shook his head.

"Bet that went down well"

"Like a tonne of lead." Jack smiled as he remembered "The murder of the publican though, she took that to heart. The man had a 13 year old daughter. I think it hit home, you know? Everyone put in the hours on the case but Sandra had to be told when to stop, when to go home"

"Is there anyway she was just too determined to get a conviction?" Pushkar knew he was on the verge of getting slapped by at least one of the men in the room. Sandra wasn't just the Guv, she was their friend.

"No" Jack almost spat the words out. "Eight years later the case went to the Court of Appeal. I had to go; it was one of my last appearances in Court before Mary was injured."

"And?" Gerry prompted

"And there was sufficient forensic advancements to show the DI Pullman as she was then had been spot on. So had I. The convictions were safe" Jack glared. He hated them even suggesting anyone on his team being questioned, past or present.

"But Lincoln and Mad Dog still hold a grudge" Brian stated as Gerry and Jack nodded. Neither of them heard Emily enter the room until she was level with her father.

"Good job I know where they live then isn't it?" Emily smiled slightly.

"You do?" Gerry smiled, every inch the proud father.

"Wouldn't say so if I didn't would I?" Emily rolled her eyes. "Clarky is on his way there now, are you coming?" She was already walking back out the Squad Room as Gerry, Jack and Brian followed. Pushkar shook his head as he picked up his jacket. He just hoped this was the breakthrough they were looking for and that if Sandra Pullman was still alive she realised how much her team thought of her.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Clarky sat in the unmarked police car next to Strickland. He was slightly nervous of the higher ranking officer but knew he had to work with him. He glared at the terraced house opposite the car.

"You sure this is the address?" Strickland asked as Clarky nodded.

"Yes Sir. Emily went to the Probation Service, pulled a few strings. This is the registered address for Eleanor Lincoln"

"The team are aware I take it?"

"Yes Sir, Emily was heading off to tell them when we left" He sat forward in his seat as a skinny blonde with close cropped hair let herself out of the house "And that is Eleanor Lincoln" He made to leave the car as Strickland put a hand on his forearm.

"I'll radio Emily, we are going to see where she goes"

"Sir?"

"No one else has entered or left that property for the last hour. I want to see if they are keeping Sandra somewhere else" Strickland explained. Clarky nodded as he started the engine and followed the older woman along the road. She seemed oblivious as she drove the small aging Nissan Micra in front of him. For a moment he wondered if he should pull her over for drink driving but kept on her tail as they wove through the North London streets. He didn't want to think what would happen if Strickland was wrong.

**A/N More soon? If anyone is reading x**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer I do not own New Tricks. **

**Follow the Leader?  
**

Strickland felt useless as he sat next to Clarky. He had been sat behind a desk too long. He couldn't remember the last time he had done any solid detective work, all he seemed to do these days was chase around his officers, defend UCOS and try as he might humor the politicians that he had to deal with. He was begining to get fed up with the constant negotiation and politican wrangling that went with his rank. He knew that if anyone other than Sandra had been missing there was no way he would have been able to be hands on in the investigation, he just hoped he wasn't too rusty.

"Sir?" Clarky followed behind the red S Reg Ford Fiesta that was trundling along a few cars ahead of them.

"Yes"

"If we are right, if Lincoln is leading us in the right direction why have you left the others to search the address Emily found?" Clarky inwardly winced, he didn't want to seem as though he was questioning his senior officers authority. Strickland glared out of the windcreen.

"Just in case I am wrong" He almost spat the words through gritted teeth as Clarky turned the car left and continued driving to the other side of the city.

xxxxxxxxxx

"Come on think" Sandra muttered. _I am not some soppy bloody idiot that is going to wait around to be rescued. They haven't killed me yet and with their past record I would have been killed the minute they burst into my place. No I am not going to be killed. So why the Hell am I here? And mores the point, how the Hell do I get out of here?_ She stepped back and stared at the door. It was then she realised what now seemed blindingly obvious. _Sandra Pullman, girl you are going home. _She thought to herself as she stepped behind the door and began to wait.

xxxxxxxxxx

"Emily found the address" Pushkar announced as Gerry nodded.

"Bloody good copper my Emily"

"Yes she is" Pushkar smiled. He knew Gerry was protective of his children, the fact that one of them was a police officer just made him all the more protective. Especially now his youngest Jessica was determined to follow him and Emily into the force.

"So what do we do now?" Gerry turned to the police man. "Storm in there or wait for the others?"

"Clarky and the boss are looking into some other leads" Pushkar explained, "So we are waiting for Jack and Brian to arrive"

"Sod that" Gerry opened the car door. "If she is in there and not the way we want to find her I aint letting either of those two see that. It'll kill them. You know how Brian is"

Pushkar sighed, he knew Gerry was right. He could just picture the aftermath if she was dead. It was the last thing he wanted to think of but unlike the others he had accepted it as a possibility. Sandra had been missing over 24 hours and as each hour went past statistically the chances of finding her alive dropped. He nodded as he got out the car.

"Right, all me and you can do is knock the door, hope we get in there that way" He walked across the road as Gerry grinned slyly. He wasn't officially a copper anymore, he had other ideas about how to get into the house. He was determined to find his friend and the small matter of breaking and entering didn't seem that much of an obsticle. After all he didn't really care what happened to him as long as Sandra was safe. He was going to make sure they found her in one piece.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

Eleanor Lincoln parked the small rusty car outside the chemist on the High Street. She was desperate for a fix, she had missed her appointment for methodone and knew there was no way the pharmacist was going to bend the rules and let her have some now. Cursing she wondered why they hadn't just killed the police officer they had kidnapped. That way they would have made their point and she would have got her fix. She slammed the car door shut with a force the car really couldn't take before storming along the pavement to the alleyway.

"Ellie" Peter smiled as he approached her.

"You get it?"

"Yeah" He held out the small plastic bag as she grabbed it greadily from him.

"Hey take your time" Peter laughed.

"You had yours?"

"Yeah" He leant his head back against the wall.

"Why are we messing around? Wasn't the plan always to make that bitch pay for us going to prison? Wasn't it always the plan to kill the blonde bitch?"

"You're right Ellie" He paused "But we ain't kids anymore. I don't fancy being a pensioner when I get out of clink again. We are going to kill her but we are going to make sure she has time to think about what she did before she meets her maker" He laughed hysterically as Eleanor raised her eyebrows. Neither of them were aware that DAC Robert Strickland had taken a leaf out of Gerry's book and let down their tyres. Clarky pulled on the collar of his shirt, immediately nervous that they would be caught.

"Sir?"

"We can't arrest them for kidnapping Sandra until we have enough proof. I arrest them for what they are doing now and we may never find her. This way we keep them off the road until they come down from whatever crap they have just taken and then we just have to follow them" Strickland explained.

"Criminal damage to stop a crime?" Clarky shook his head.

"Yeah if you like. But it works. Radio the others. I want a sitrep on what is going on" He stood and made his way back to the car as Clarky just rolled his eyes. He had a feeling what he had just witnessed would never find it's way on to the official report.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

Brian poured over the files he had downloaded on to his Ipad. He knew Esther wasn't that keen on his new toy but it really was amazing. He absolutely loved it and had never tired of telling the others what it could do. Now he was reading the arrest record of Peter 'Mad Dog' McCarthy as Jack drove.

"He was a nasty piece of work Jack"

"We know that"

"So what are we doing? Are we going to get her back?" Brian began to panic. "It says here he was responsible for six other armed robberies and one aggravated burglary"

"Yes we were after him for a while" Jack remembered the case well. "First time anyone was killed was the pub break in. Nice quiet family pub too. I had drunk there myself a few times before."

"We have to get her back Jack, these people. They are evil. The things they did" Brian shook his head as Jack turned into the street where he thought Pushkar and Gerry were waiting for them.

"And we are doing everything we can to find her" Jack stated as he parked the car. He looked up to see the car he knew Gerry had been driving was abandoned a few feet away. "Oh great, just great"

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**A/N Sorry for my woeful speed at updating. I hope this chapter is ok.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer I do not own New Tricks. **

**Waiting in Vain?**

Sandra huffed angrily as she surveyed her surrounding. "This is bloody ridiculous" She hissed to herself as she stared up at the ceiling. Her head still ached and she still got dizzy when she looked to the left but she had been left alone since McCarthy and Lincoln had left. She was beginning to wonder if they were ever going to come back. Leaning heavily against the whitewashed wall of what was once a habitable living room she closed her eyes and listened. _Someone is out there. Right, listen. Who is it? You put up a fight when these arseholes broke into your place Sandra, you can so that again. I am not waiting for Gerry and the others to storn in here like I am some bloody damsel in distress! _She listened closely as she realised she recognised the voice on the other side of the door.

"Pushkar?"

xxxx

Pushkar stared at Gerry as the older man picked the lock.

"You do know that's illegal?" Pushkar looked along the street as Gerry nodded.

"And what are you gonna do about it? You gonna nick me or you gonna help? Sandra's is in there. I know she is"

"How do you know? We have no evidence. Even Strickland and Clarky have gone off after Lincoln" Pushkar tried to reason with him.

"I know because Sandra is my mate. I just know oK?"

"Oh that will stand up in Court"

"Pushkar, either help me or bugger off" Gerry smiled as the lock gave way under his hand.

"I get arrested I will personally make your life hell" Pushkar laughed.

"Ok, fair enough, come on" Gerry walked into the house. "Anyway, what happened to propable cause?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Brian stared along the street, certain he had just spotted his friend and collegue commit a crime. He narrowed his eyes as Jack walked past him. The weather was threatening as black clouds above them looked about to burst.

"Jack?"

"Yes Brian" Jack answered wearily.

"That was just Gerry we saw breaking into that house?"

"Yes Brian"

"Why?"

"He must think Sandra is in there"

"You can't just go breaking into other people's houses Jack. It's illegal"

"So it is Brian. All my years in the police force and I seemed to have forgotten the fact that breaking and entering is illegal" Jack answered sarcastically. "You ever heard of probably cause?"

Brian shrugged and was about to start reciting a long forgotten case where probable cause had been introduced when Jack held up a hand to silence him.

"You got your phone on you?"

"Yes, Esther insists I carry it" Brian answered.

"Good, call Emily. We need back up" He nodded towards the house, it seemed Peter McCarthy and Eleanor Lincoln had arrived home. "Ah yes"

"I think I'll warn Gerry. You stay here" Jack walked away as Brian pulled his latest gadget from his coat pocket. He knew if either of the two residents knew Gerry and Pushkar were inside the house there was a fair chance things were going to get very messy. Taking a chance he finished the call to Emily and walked quickly towards the couple who were still high on drugs and whatever else they had taken.

"Cooee" Brian approached them. McCarthy ignored them while Lincoln giggled. "Sorry, but I was wondering if you could help"

"Doubt it" The surly man holding on to his girlfriend glared.

"Well you never know. My dog. Scampi. He's missing" Brian held the couple's attention long enough for Jack to slip into the house.

"Ah thats sad" Eleanor answered.

"Yeah, me granddaughter will be devastated. Have you seen him?"

"What does he look like?" Eleanor seemed genuinely interested.

"Collie dog. Black and white." Brian sighed. "Soft as butter. That's the thing, he'll go with anyone. Stupid animal" Brian looked over his shoulder as he thought about his small dog who was at home with Esther.

"I like Collie's. Had one when I was a kid" Eleanor sighed. "Ain't seem him but I'll keep my eye out for him"

"Thank you. I'd appreciate it" Brian smiled as he went to walk away, glad that Emily and a few uniformed officers were making their way along the street.

xxxxxxxxxxx

Sandra ran a hand through her blonde hair as she saw the doorhandle move. _This is it. This is it. I am going home. _She smiled slightly as she brought her elbow up and slammed it into what she thought was either McCarthy or Lincoln.

"Bloody Hell Sandra!" Gerry yelped as he grabbed his face.

"Gerry!"

"Yeah" Gerry straightened up slightly. "Gerry Standing, remember me?"

"What are you doing here?" Sandra smiled slightly.

"Trying to rescue you, you dozy bloody mare" Gerry hissed as blue flashing lights and yells from outside broke the silence.

"Rescue me? Aw Gerry" She smiled as he straightedn up and stared at her.

"Yeah, and what do I get. A broken bloody cheekbone!"

"Yeah, well sorry about that. I was trying to escape" Sandra smiled sheepishly as Gerry stepped towards her. Pushkar smiled slightly as he left the two old friends alone in the room.

"You ok?" Gerry held her at arms length. "Did they hurt you?"

"Not really" Sandra smiled slightly "Didn't know you cared"

"Course we do, you dozy mare" Gerry hugged her as just this once Sandra let him get away with calling her names as she pulled back.

"You broke in here?" She stepped back as Gerry nodded sheepishly.

"Probable cause" Gerry tried hopefully.

"SANDRA? GERRY?" Jack yelled as both sprang apart. "YOU IN HERE?"

"Coming" Gerry yelled back as he ushered Sandra out into the rain.

**A/N More soon. Please let me know what you think.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer I do not own New Tricks. **

**A Good Day?**

It had been a long day. Sandra leant against Gerry's desk as she stared at the floor. She was exhausted but glad that the doctors at the hospital was happy to let her home and that Gerry hadn't recieved a broken cheek bone. She closed her eyes as she listened to Strickland congratulate them on a job well done.

"Sandra?" Jack watched as she opened her eyes.

"Yeah"

"Are you ok?" His voice was full of concern as she smiled and nodded.

"Yeah" She sighed "Yeah I am. What I don't get, is how did you know where I was?" She looked around the room as Clarky smiled proudly.

"Detective work" He answered as Sandra's eyebrows shot up to her hairline.

"Detective work?"

"Yeah well" Clarky glanced towards Emily "You always taught me people will do what is obvious to them. What we have to do is work out that that is. I just thought that I would probably go home if I was them"

"And they did" Emily answered as her father handed her a mug of tea.

"Anyway" Sandra smiled slightly. Gerry and Jack exchanged glances. Her smile was not fooling anyone, even Brian wasn't taken in by her smile. "I just wanted to say well done for catching up with Lincoln and McCarthy and thank you. Oh and as a way of saying thank you I've arranged for us to have a drink at the pub" Pushkar shook his head and smiled as the team began packing up, ready to go to the pub.

"Oh I won't if that's alright with you" Brian pulled on his wooly hat as he spoke "Only Esther is cooking. Our Mark is coming over"

"That's nice" Sandra smiled "Another night yeah?"

"Yeah" Brian nodded before leaving the UCOS office. Sandra watched as each of her team along with Emily and Clarky began to leave. Before long she was left with Jack and Gerry. She hated the concerned looks that passed between the two older men.

"Oh come on you two" She put her mug on Jack's desk as she spoke "You can stop worrying now. I am fine. Lincoln and McCarthy are back behind bars and all is right with the world" She watched as Jack nodded.

"If you say so" Jack ran a hand over his face. "I'm shattered. I think I'll give the pub a miss tonight" He watched as Gerry slumped in his chair. "Looks like you both could do with some sleep for once"

"Yes Dad" Gerry laughed as Jack raised an eyebrow.

"Well goodnight" Jack walked out the office as Sandra called after him.

"Night Jack, thanks" He waved as he left.

xxxxxxxxxxx

The worst thing about Sandra's job she decided was definately the paperwork. It seemed the others had the majority of the paperwork as for once she didn't have to write up evidence reports. "Some perks to missing half of the case because I was locked away" She muttered to herself as she turned the computer off, in the end she was glad that her team had opted for an early night rather than head to the pub.

"Sandra?" She looked up as she heard Gerry call her name.

"Thought you had gone home" She was glad her friend was there but had no idea why he had come back.

"Yeah well" He shrugged "Look, you really alright? I mean I thought you were going 'ome hours ago. When you weren't there I came back 'ere"

"You were looking for me? Why?" Sandra felt her stomach clench in fear. She wasn't ready for another case. Not just yet.

"Seem to be making an 'abit of looking for you Guv" Gerry smiled and shrugged his shoulders like a naughty school boy. Sandra smiled slightly.

"You can stop worrying about me" She got up and crossed the room to him. "I'm a big girl"

"Yeah" Gerry closed his eyes "It's just me and Jack"

"You and Jack what?" Sandra folded her arms, immediately suspicious as to what Gerry and Jack had been up to in her absence.

"When you were reported missing we went round to your place yeah? Standard procedure. SOCO were all over it." He sighed.

"Yeah" Sandra couldn't work out what he was trying to say.

"Well, I saw what they did to the place. I saw the mess to the hallway, the front door. The blood Sandra. It looked like you had been massacered" He closed his eyes as she shook her head.

"I'm fine Gerry"

"I know that now. We all know that now" Gerry opened his eyes as she held his gaze. "We didn't know that then. We all thought you were dead. None of us wanted to admit it like, but we all thought we were looking for your body rather than you"

"Oh God, Gerry" Sandra suddenly realised why her team had been so quiet. Especially her three oldest friends. "I'm so sorry"

"Not your fault is it?" He watched as she looked at the floor "You didn't set out to be kidnapped. Did you?"

"Course I bloody well didn't!" Sandra huffed as she saw Gerry smirk at her.

"Look av you seen your place yet? Have you been 'ome?" Gerry watched as her eyes darkened.

"No" She refused to meet his eye "Too much to do here. I had to talk to Strickland, convince him I don't need to see a shrink. Catch up on paperwork. All the rubbish you know?"

"You wanna sleep in my spare room tonight?"

"That"

"That is one mate looking out for another" Gerry tilted her head to make her look at him. "A mate"

"Ok" Sandra smiled. "Thanks"

"Right, come on then" He ushered her out of the office as Sandra began to realise just how lucky she really had been.

xxxxxxxxx

Esther stared at Brian as he pushed his food around the plate. Mark had long since gone home to his fiance, leaving his parents to absorb the news they were to be grandparent.

"Brian" Esther tutted "Are you going to eat that?"

"I am" Brian put his fork down. "You and me, we are lucky aren't we?"

"I suppose so Brian" Esther had no idea where he was going with his latest revelation.

"Well I think we are anyway. I mean today we found out Mark is going to be a dad. Oo he'll be a cracking dad I reckon. A new baby, a new start" He smiled. "We got Sandra back in one piece, the future of UCOS seems certain and just for once it seems we are in Strickland's good books"

"So a good day all round I'd say" Esther smiled at her husband.

"Yes luv, a good day all round"

xxxxxxxxxxx

Jack sat in his garden nursing a mug of tea. He was cold but had to talk to the one person that made everything make sense.

"Mary" He smiled as he looked at the little tea lights around the stone in the garden. "Don't you think it was just a little too easy to find Sandra and arrest those two idiots?" He paused as he drank his tea. "Yes, I know I am being paranoid. But as Clarky says just because your paranoid does not mean they are not out to get you" He smiled as he pictured the way Mary would roll her eyes at him.

"I know luv, I know. There's no fool like an old fool. It's just too easy thats all" He drank the last of his tea. "Night my love" He stood and walked back into the house wondering if it really was the last the team would see of Eleanor Lincoln and Pete Mad Dog McCarthy.

**A/N Is Jack right to be worried? More soon? Please review. **


	7. 7 chapter 7

**Disclaimer I do not own New Tricks. **

**Night Terrors?**

Sandra had been secretly relieved that Gerry had offered to let her stay in his spare room. She had been dreading going back to her house, knowing the mess the break in had made as well as the way SOCO would have been all over the living room and hallway. She closed her eyes as she tried to rationalise everything that had happened in the last few days. It still didn't seem real, that a case she had successfully prosecuted when she was a DC had come back to haunt her almost twenty years later. She pulled the duvet up under her chin and prayed she wouldn't wake Gerry with her nightmares.

"It's over Sandra. It's over" She muttered to herself as she stared at the window hoping sleep would claim her.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Brian sat on the sofa watching Question Time. Scampi was asleep in his lap as Esther curled up on the sofa next to him. She was worried about her husband, knowing how worried he had been about Sandra over the last few days.

"Brian?"

"Yes luv?" He turned to her.

"When you found her, she was alright? Wasn't she?"

"Oo? Sandra? Yeah she says she's fine. It's Gerry that nearly ended up with a broken nose" He shook his head as Scampi opened his eyes.

"Good" Esther tapped his knee. "You worry too much about those three. Sandra is more than capable, well she always has seemed to be to me."

"Oh I know luv. But it was too easy. Finding her, making the arrests. I dunno" He sighed as Esther picked up the remote control for the televison and turned the set off.

"But right now everyone is ok. Mark and Fran are ok. We're going to be Grandparents and for once all is well with the world. Come on." She held out a hand as he looked up at her. Scampi took the hint and jumped off the sofa.

"Bed!" Esther clarified as Brian looked a little puzzled. "You need to get some rest."

"Yes Luv." Brian sighed as he got to his feet.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Jack had intended to go to bed hours earlier. He was exhausted, even talking to Mary hadn't helped to clear his mind. Something was wrong but he just couldn't put a finger on what it was. He stood in his kitchen waiting for the kettle to boil as he thought about the case again. He was just glad he didn't have to tell Mrs Pullman Sandra had been murdered. _Small mercies eh? _He thought as he looked in the cupboard for his tea bags. He sighed as he realised why he thought rescuing Sandra had been too easy. He shook his head and began muttering under his breath. Grabbing his car keys he left the house wondering how they had managed to miss it when it now seemed so blindingly obvious.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Gerry ran a hand over his face. He was glad Sandra had agreed to stay at his house for the night. He had no idea what she was thinking but then he reasoned that was nothing new. He laid in bed and stared at the ceiling as he thought about the blonde woman in his spare bedroom, knowing that twenty years earlier he would have tried to take advantage of the situation. Now he knew there was no way he would take advantage of his friend. Sandra was his boss but she was also his mate and she needed a bit of support he reasoned as he closed his eyes and tried not to think of her. It was then his thoughts were disturbed by his mobile ringing.

"Yeah?" He didn't even check his caller display. "What? Jack are you 'aving a laugh?"

He closed his eyes aware that Sandra was now awake and moving around in the next room. He listened to Jack explain his theory as he got out of bed and began getting dressed.

"Ok ok, yes you may have a point. Call Brian, I'll find Emily and the others." He paused as he fought with a sock. "No no, don't call her. I'll ring Sandra" He hung up as he realised the rest of the night wasn't going to bring the peaceful sleep he had hoped. He stared at the offending sock as his bedroom door swung open.

"Gerry?" Sandra stood in the doorway staring at him.

"That was Jack. He thinks he might have found something. He thinks someone was helping Lincoln and McCarthy find you. He thinks there is someone on the inside that has a grudge against UCOS and they probably thought getting you out the way would mean UCOS would fall to pieces." Gerry stood and began pacing the small room as Sandra raised an eyebrow.

"Who?"

"I dunno"

"Does Jack?"

"He says he 'as an idea." Gerry huffed.

"Well where is he?"

"At the nick. He's called Brian and the others"

"Oh right" Sandra paused. "So he thinks someone really intended to kill me to end UCOS?"

"Sandra, don't talk about getting killed like that. As if it is no big deal" Gerry snapped. Sandra raised an eyebrow as Gerry came to stand in front of her. It was then she remembered she was only wearing a large t shirt Gerry had leant her hours earlier.

"Well"

"Because it is Sandra. It is a big deal!" He snapped. "Jack wants us all back at the station. Reckons he has a lead." Gerry turned away from her as she nodded.

"Wonder who the bleedin Guv is sometimes" She huffed as Gerry hung his head.

"Well when you weren't around it was Jack."

"I'm back now" Sandra smiled slightly.

"Yeah, so what do you think we should do?"

"Get dressed, go see what Jack has found" Sandra smiled as Gerry rolled his eyes.

"Yes Guv" Gerry returned the smile_. Oh yes, she's back!_

**A/N Please review. More soon. **


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer I do not own New Tricks. **

**Advantage?**

Sandra let Gerry drive as he rambled on about what Jack had said on the phone earlier. She was exhausted and had to admit she had been looking forward to getting a few hours well deserved sleep in a bed where she knew no one was going to try to kill her. She smiled slightly as she heard Gerry explain what Jack had been worried about since the arrests had been made.

"Gerry?" Sandra turned slightly so she was facing him.

"What?"

"You ok?"

"Yeah, course I am. It isn't me that was kidnapped and held hostage was it?"

"No, I know that. But I was stood in your bedroom in your t shirt and you didn't even think about making a move. Did you?" Sandra raised an eyebrow as Gerry began coughing.

"Course not! What do you take me for Sandra?"

"If it was someone else you'd have tried it on." Sandra knew she was teasing him but it had registered that he hadn't looked at her the way she knew he would have looked at someone else.

"Maybe." He signalled for the car to turn left. "But you're a mate."

"So?"

"So it would be like making a pass at Brian."

"Oh thanks!" Sandra huffed.

"No, well what I mean is.." Gerry tried to order his thoughts as Sandra shook her head.

"No, don't worry about it. I thought I'd let myself go a bit and now you confirmed it." She shook her head as Gerry couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"Sandra, you wouldn't have wanted me to make a pass at you. I know that and so do you."

"I know but it would be nice to think you wanted to!"

"Sandra!" Gerry didn't know whether to laugh or change the subject. Instead he carried on driving noticing how Sandra smirked when she thought he wasn't looking.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

Jack sat at his desk wondering if the others would think he was completely mad. The case files from the original investigation were spread out over his desk and he had returned the photographs and notes to the white board in the middle of the room.

"Jack?" Brian walked in and deposited his cycle helmet on his desk. "This 'ad better be good. Esther ain't too happy about me being out this late at night."

"Oh Brian." Jack shook his head. "I dunno. I really dont. It seemed so plausable at the time but now."

"Now what?" Sandra stormed back into the office as Gerry headed for the coffee machine. If either man noticed they were arriving together, nothing was said. Jack raised his eyebrows as she returned to the white board. She stared at the photographs of Lincoln and McCarthy.

"I may be barking up the wrong tree." Jack stared at her "But it was too easy. Finding you like that. Even Strickland seemed surprised we found you."

"Bloody amazed more like!" Gerry joined in, earning himself a withering glance from Jack and Sandra. Brian nodded.

"We are glad you are home." Brian smiled.

"Thanks Brian." Sandra rolled her eyes. "Jack, why do you think there is someone using Lincoln and McCarthy to get rid of UCOS?"

"Well neither of them are candidates for MENSA." Jack watched as Brian nodded. "And there is one officer that is still serving that worked with us on the original investigation." Jack watched as Brian and Gerry frowned.

"Who's that?" Sandra was beginning to think Jack had a point. She smiled slightly as Gerry handed her a mug of coffee.

"Do you remember a copper that joined my CID the same time as you but was no where near as keen as you? Sally Morris."

"Sally is still a copper? Why would she want to get rid of UCOS?" Sandra was genuinlely lost.

"You are a Superintendant with your own handpicked department." Jack watched as she nodded. "Sally is still a DS. It might be me being bad minded. It may be that I am seeing connections where there aren't any but she was always jealous of you."

"Sally? She was a good copper." Sandra narrowed her eyes.

"No, she was an adequete copper. She did the job but she didn't care. I doubt she has changed."

"You think this Sally is jealous?" Brian asked as Jack nodded. Sandra stared at him as Jack sighed.

"All I know is that when I went through Eleanor Lincoln's record of prison visitors Sally's name crept up on more than one occasion. She has also been linked with Pete McCarthy."

"She was on the team that put them away!" Sandra looked at Jack.

"Yeah. So was I but it was you that made the final arrest. You that gave the testimony that put them inside. Sandra she hated that. I wouldn't be surprised if she wanted you out of the picture."

"Bloody 'ell!" Gerry snapped.

"Yeah." Sandra picked up the piece of paper Jack had placed on his desk. "Sally? We were mates."

"Were." Brian sighed. "And she is the only other officer apart from us and Emily, Clarky and Pushkar that had access to the files."

"She knew where I was? Is that what you are trying to say? You think Sally Morris knew where they were keeping me?" Sandra shook her head.

"No, well not exactly." Jack answered.

"Well, what exactly?" Sandra snapped.

"She knew where you lived. And I think she told them where you were. I think she helped them find and take you."

Sandra shook her head as she stared at the paper in her hand. It was too much to take in.

"I think I need to have a little chat with DS Sally Morris, don't you?" She threw the paper on the desk and stormed out of the office as Jack and Gerry stared after her.

"Well?" Brian stared at them. "Gerry, I think you'd better go after her."

"Why me?"

"You know why." Jack answered. "If nothing else she hasn't got her car with her and you brought her here."

"Good point." Gerry sighed "What are you pair going to do?"

"Go over evidence. You look after Sandra." Brian watched as Gerry huffed before walking out the room.

**A/N Thank you for the reviews. Just a filler chapter. More soon.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer I do not own New Tricks. **

**How Dare She!**

Gerry took a deep breath and followed his friend into the corridor outside the UCOS office. He hated the idea that someone was trying to end UCOS as much as Sandra did. He was just having an easier time keeping his temper compared to his boss.

"Sandra."

"Sally was a mate Gerry." Sandra marched on ahead.

"Look if she was in this with Lincoln and McCarthy then I don't see how she was much of a mate." He answered as Sandra turned round to face him.

"You know something Gerry?" She turned to face him as he looked at her blankly. "I was the only woman in CID in those days. I joined the force straight out of school and I worked bloody hard despite the fact I was only one of three women to join that year. My mother had tried to put me off the idea since I was 14. I had a point to prove to her maybe, I dunno. I put my heart and soul into this job from the day I got my A Level results and no one is going to cheapen that!" She watched as Gerry stepped towards her. He looked as angry as she felt.

"I know that. I know you and this Sally bird joined CID back in the days when women coppers took more than their fair share of stick. And I was one of the ones that gave out the crap. I know that. It was a different world then. If my Emily had to put up with the stuff you 'ad to I would tell her to leave the force."

"You wouldn't"

"I bloody well would. And I'd put my youngest off joining. But you know Jess. But you showed her then and we will show 'er now. You go after er all guns blazing with no bleedin evidence and she'll get what she wants." He watched as Sandra nodded slightly. She knew Gerry was right, but it didn't make her feel any better.

"Gerry." She shook her head.

"Look she works 'ere yeah?" Gerry watched as she nodded.

"So all we have to do is find out when she is supposed to be on duty. Look Sandra if Jack is right then we just 'ave to sit tight on this." Gerry stepped towards her as she closed her eyes.

"You're right. But if she thinks she is getting rid of UCOS she has another think coming. I mean it Gerry." Sandra did her best not to raise her voice. Gerry smiled and nodded as he stepped towards her.

"Good." He smiled slightly. "Plenty of people have tried to get us shut down. I aint seen noone manage it yet. You want to get something to eat. Because I am starving." Sandra rolled her eyes as Gerry smiled at her.

"You are always starving." She laughed as he shrugged his shoulders.

"Yeah. I know." I'm growing. He smiled as she rolled her eyes.

"Ok. Canteen then. You're paying."

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Jack sat at his desk as Brian looked around the deserted UCOS office. He didn't like the idea of investigation another police officer. He knew he should have referred it to Internal Affairs. He stared at the paperwork on the desk in front of him as he wondered if he had just opened the biggest can of worms in his career.

"Jack?" Brian asked as he looked up. The small dog in the corner continued to snooze as the men talked.

"What is it Brian?"

"This Sally Morris. She worked for your team yeah?" Brian pushed his glasses up on to his nose.

"Yeah. I said that."

"And she visited Eleanor Lincoln in prison. We don't know why. 'Ow about I get Pushkar to come with me and we ask Lincoln since when she was so pally with a copper?" Brian asked as Jack smiled.

"Yeah. Yeah, he's on lates. She's going to be questioned about her part in Sandra's abduction. I'll get Emily to come with me to talk to Mad Dog." Jack smiled. "I have a feeling if we let Sandra and Gerry after them we'll be asking for more trouble." Jack pushed his chair away from the desk as the small dog opened his eyes.

"And you Scampi can stay in your basket." Brian smiled as the small dog yawned loudly before resting his head down. UCOS was his second home as much as it was Brian's. Jack shook his head.

"Does Sandra know he's here?" Jack watched as Brian shrugged.

"Thought it best not to mention him. You know 'ow she gets." He shrugged his shoulders in return as he followed his friend out of the office, leaving the dog to sleep.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sandra walked towards the police station canteen dreading to think what delights the small canteen had for those working nights at the station. Gerry shook his head, he knew he could eat anything but what he could eat and what he wanted to eat were two different things.

"I might just settle for coffee." Sandra sighed as she pushed the door open.

"Might be safer." Gerry nodded as he picked up a bag of crisps from the stand. Both stopped in their tracks as Strickland could be spotted nursing a cup of tea. The DAC looked decidely dishevelled as he bent over a newspaper as he sat drinking his tea.

"Sir?" Sandra walked towards him. She was worried for a moment until he looked up.

"Sandra. Gerry."

"Are you alright?" She asked as Gerry sat opposite him, uninvited.

"Fine. Shouldn't I be asking you that? After all it's you two that spent the evening in A&E."

"Ah I was only there because of 'er left 'ook." Gerry rubbed his cheek as Sandra rolled her eyes.

"Fine Sir, thank you. Look some information has come to light regarding my abduction." Sandra watched as his eyes narrowed.

"You cannot investigate that." He watched as she nodded.

"I know but the information relates back to a case from the 1980s. That I can investigate." Sandra watched as he nodded.

"Ok. Look, if this is about Sally Morris and the original investigation by CID in 1986 then yes I know about it and yes you can investigate it. I have already cleared it with IA. One foot wrong." He looked at Gerry who sulkily stared at his bag of crips. "And it will mean I pull you off the case. I have to. I also know Emily and Pushkar are interviewing Lincoln and McCarthy as I speak. With Jack and Brian so nothing happens until we read the transcript of the interview. Oh and when Sally is interviewed I intend to be there."

"I will interview her. But not yet. I want to find some evidence first, all we have at the moment is confirmation that she visited them in prison and that she worked with me. Not enough to do anything with." Sandra rested her head on her palm as Gerry nodded.

"Jack thinks she wants to shut UCOS down or at least get Sandra out of it." Gerry stated as Strickland nodded.

"Yes, when you were missing she came to me, asking if she could help out." Strickland watched as Sandra visibly paled. "I told her we had more than enough officers aswell as the rest of UCOS working on the team. She argued that we needed an actual police officer to run UCOS in your absence. I reminded her what my job was. I may not walk the beat these days but I am still an actual police officer as she put it." He shook his head.

"She wants me out. She wants my team." Sandra spoke quietly.

"So it would seem. But professional jealousy is not a crime."

"No Sir. No it isn't." Sandra glared "But I want to find out what the hell she thinks she is playing at. I mean how dare she? How dare she think she can walk in and take over? After everything UCOS have been through? After everything we have done? Jack, Brian, Gerry and me we are a team." She glared as Strickland got up.

"Calm down Sandra, I never had any intention of letting anyone else run UCOS if I didn't have to."

"Thank you Sir." Sandra watched as he walked away. It was then Gerry rested a hand on hers.

"None of us would have worked with her. You know that Sandra, UCOS only has one Guv and all three of us are very picky about who we work for." He watched as she smiled slightly.

"Ok then, let's see what tweedle dum and tweedle dee have found."

**A/N More soon. **


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer I do not own New Tricks. **

**Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee**

Jack stared at the computer reading the personel details of Sally Morris. He had no idea what had happened to her once he had left to look after Mary but what he was reading in front of him made him realise she had been no great shakes as far as the Met had been concerned. He glanced up as Brian walked towards him.

"Jack."

"Yes Brian?"

"This Sally, she was in your CID, same time as Sandra."

"I know that Brian."

"So, you left ten years ago. What rank was she then?" Brian watched as Jack turned away from the computer as he tried to think.

"Sally Morris. She was a DC. Sandra was a DI."

"You think that has a bearing on what happened to Sandra now? I mean they are the same age, in the same male dominated nick yet Sandra rises to the rank of DI within a few years of joining CID. According to this Sally only got as far as DS." Brian watched as Jack shrugged his shoulders. He was exhausted and couldn't remember when he last spoke to the woman they were talking about. Sally had always been defensive and far too quiet to fit in to CID in those days.

"I don't know Brian." Jack sighed. "I really don't know."

"Right." Both men looked up to see Sandra and Gerry in the doorway. "It's 4 am. Sally Morris isn't on duty until 9 am. You three go home. Sleep."

"Sandra." Jack started as she walked towards the coat rack.

"What? Jack?"

"What about you?" He asked. She smiled slightly, Jack had always looked out for her.

"I am going to get some sleep. Look I know you think she wants UCOS. But what for? What would she hope to gain by being put in charge of you lot? Ten minutes with Brian and one of his theories and she will be begging for me to come back." She smiled as Brian looked on aghast. Gerry smirked.

"Fair point." Jack smiled. "Right, see you in a couple of hours."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Brian closed the front door quietly as he glanced at the empty living room. Scampi trotted off to his basket as Brian smiled. He had been looking forward to going home. Esther was sleeping peacefully when he slipped under the covers. She flinched and opened her eyes as he smiled appologetically.

"Oh, remembered you have a home to go to then?"

"Sorry Esther luv." He yawned.

"Is everyone alright? Gerry? Jack? Sandra ok?"

"All present and correct. It seems someone is after revenge. Wants UCOS for themselves."

"What?" Esther was sure she wasn't properly awake. "Someone is jealous of Sandra? For working with you three old idiots?"

"Thank you."

"No, instead of kidnapping her they should give her a medal. Working with you three. Woman has a patience of a saint. She hasn't gone back to that house has she? After what happened there?" Sandra sat up slightly as Brian shrugged.

"I suppose she has."

"Oh Brian." Esther rolled her eyes as Brian failed to see why it wasn't a good idea for Sandra to return home. He had already closed his eyes as Esther tutted and settled back down to sleep.

xxxxxxxxxxx

Gerry parked the car in the same spot it had been when they had left the house. Sandra had dozed slightly in the passenger seat as he drove. For a moment he didn't want to wake her, but reasoned she couldn't sleep in the car all night.

"Sandra?"

"Yes Gerry." She was instantly awake.

"You want me to take you 'ome?" He realised she hadn't said she wanted to come back to his house. He had just assumed the situation hadn't changed. Sandra smiled slightly.

"Not tonight. Both of us are too tired." She opened the car door at the same time as he did. "It's just so weird Gerry."

"What is?" He locked the car door and met her on the front step.

"Someone wanting me killed."

"Lincoln and McCarthy wouldn't have killed you, surely?" Gerry knew the moment he said it that it was exactly what they had been asked to do.

"I think so." Sandra looked at the doorstep as the front door swung open. She wasn't sure if she was angry or just resigned to the fact she had been about to die alone.

"Sandra?" Gerry watched as she fell silent. "Are you alright?"

"Me?" Sandra looked up. "Yeah why wouldn't I be?"

"Sandra." Gerry sighed.

"No Gerry." She walked past him into the hallway. "No I'm fine." The fact that she was shaking said more than her words ever could. "She wanted them to kill me. Didn't she? She wanted me dead."

"Yeah." Gerrry stepped towards her as Sandra leant against the small table. "Yeah, I think she did."

Sandra nodded as the realisation that someone really had wanted her to die. Gerry sighed as he rested a hand on her shoulder. She was determined not to cry in front of him. Gerry sighed heavily before he hugged her. It was then the tears began to fall. Gerry knew if it was ever mentioned she would deny it, would say her tears were down to tiredness, anger and the fact she had been held hostage for almost a week. He didn't know how he would explain his own.

**A/N Sorry for delay in updating. Real life crept in. Please review. :D**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer. I do not own New Tricks.**

**The Morning After.**

The sunlight streamed through the curtains as Sandra screwed her eyes shut. She didn't want to get up, the thought of facing Gerry and the others was just too much. She wanted the last ten days to vanish from her memory. She knew there was no way that was going to happen. After crying in Gerry's arms she wondered if she could face him again. But then the smell of coffee brewing and the unmistakable sounds of Chris Evans on the radio as Gerry sang along made her smile. Gerry was Gerry. A mate. That was all. Mates cried in front of each other all the time. It was ok. Wasn't it? She shook herself mentally before throwing the duvet off and leaving Gerry's spare bedroom in search of breakfast.

##################

Jack sighed heavily as he walked into the UCOS office. For once he was relieved he was the first one there that morning. It gave him a chance to speak to Pushkar. He wanted to interview Sally and he knew the only way that was going to happen was if a serving police officer was there. He thought Emily and Clarky were too biased, it had to be Pushkar. The young DS had links to both the current CID staff and the UCOS team. He was the only one of the three officers that attached themselves to UCOS at various times that had the ability to appear unbiased. He also hoped the fact that he was alone in the office meant the others had been able to get some rest. Sighing heavily he turned as the doors opened and allowed Robert Strickland to enter the office.

"Jack."

"Good morning."

"Sandra?"

"Not in yet. Just me I'm afraid." Jack just couldn't fully trust his supierior officer. It seemed to him DAC Strickland was a little too wet behind the ears. He watched as the younger man nodded.

"Ah." Strickland paused. "I was just concerned that's all. Last night Gerry and Sandra seemed a little overwrought."

"Well yes sir. It's been a difficult time for us all. What with Sandra being abducted and an attempt made on her life." Jack watched as the other man's eyes widened in shock.

"What? When?"

"Being abducted Sir. I would say that counts as an attempt on her life. As does the fact the people we arrested for it admit they were hired by a serving police officer." Jack raised himself up to his full height.

"Those are pretty serious allegations Jack." Strickland folded his arms as Sandra and Gerry walked in with Brian just a few steps behind.

"Yeah, but they are true aint they?" Gerry interrupted.

"Exactly. So what now? Sir you said we could handle the case but I can't remain objective on this one. I've tried but I can't." Her eyes flickered to Gerry and then the floor before settling on her boss. For a moment Jack was reminded of the grieving and terrified 14 year old he had seen years earlier when her father had killed himself. Only in those days she hadn't known that.

"What are you saying Sandra?You can't leave!" Brian was beginning to panic.

"I am not leaving. It's just too close Brian. That's all." She smiled slightly as Brian began to calm down.

"Ok. Well what now?"

"Now. I am going to my office to get on with my paperwork. You are going to nail the bitch that tried to have me killed." Sandra felt her lip curl in a half smile as Gerry met her eye.

"We need a serving police officer. None of us are actually allowed to arrest anyone." Brian rather unhelpfully pointed out.

"True." Sandra nodded. Strickland cleared his throat. "But you have the Guv here, Emily, Clarky and Pushkar to help. You don't need me." She stepped back as Strickland was about to speak.

"Sandra." Jack smiled as she picked up her mug.

"Yeah, for starters you are our Guv." Gerry ignored Strickland.

"I know that. You better not forget it either." She smirked. "Now can we please interview Sally and see what the hell she thinks she is playing at. I want to go home. Gerry's bed is beginning to wreak havoc with my back." Sandra walked towards her office leaving the four men dumbfounded in her wake.

##########

Across London DS Sally Morris forced a brush through her short brown hair. It was going to be a good day. It was the day Sandra Pullman got what she deserved.

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A/N Just a filler chapter, more soon. Now I am back on line :D


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer I do not own New Tricks.**

**Paperwork**

Sandra hated paperwork, she always had. To her it was a necessary evil but she would never let the boys know that or she would never see another report from them again. She sat at the desk in her office desperately wanting to know what was happening with the investigation but she knew there was no way she could ask. Not until court. She signed off another report Brian had left on her desk and wondered whether Sally knew her team had found out about her plan to kill her. A sharp knock at the door broke her train of thought as she looked up.

"Emily. Hi." Sandra smiled as the younger detective walked in.

"Hi." Emily looked nervous. Which was always a bad sign as far as Sandra was concerned. She knew the younger woman was more like Gerry than she cared to admit.

"What is it Emily?"

"I." She paused and looked at the desk. "I just wanted to ask you something."

"Ok." Sandra smiled. "Go ahead."

"Jack said you worked with Sally. That is was you and her in CID when Lincoln and McCarthy were arrested."

"That's right."

"At the time. Was there? I mean did you?"

"Spit it out Emily." Sandra didn't like where Emily was going with this. She sensed Emily wasn't confident with it either.

"Did you and Sally get on well? Was there any animosity between either of you?" Emily watched as Sandra's eyes clouded over.

"Has Jack said anything?" She didn't mean to sound as sharp as she did. It was a defense mechanism but the question had hit a nerve.

"Not really." Emily stepped nearer. "Just that you were always competative and that Sally was a bit lazy, costed along a bit. Hung on your shirt tails."

"We were the only women in the station. Not just CID. Apart from us it was just Joan from the canteen."

"Did that create tension?" Emily asked.

"Of course it bloody did. Look Jack was the DI in those days. He ran a tight ship. No room for playground squabbles. I did my job, I worked bloody hard. Same as you do now." Sandra looked away. "That was probably why I missed it."

"Missed what?"

"I wanted to nail the pair that were robbing local pubs. You read the case notes. Well anyway if I had been focused a little more on what was going on outside of work then I might just have spotted the fact DC Sally Morris was sleeping with my fiance." She snapped the folder she was reading closed.

"What?"

"You heard. She was sleeping with the man I was engaged to. I'm sure Jack told you all this." She stood and walked to her filing cabinet, aware that the main UCOS office was empty. She had no idea where Gerry and the others were.

"He didn't say a word." Emily was genuinely shocked. "But."

"But if I am the wronged party why is Sally trying to have me killed?" Sandra slammed the door to the cabinet closed. It seemed she was determined to take her temper out on the inaminate objects in her office. Emily nodded.

"Might be because after she slept with Karl I threw him out. And I threw myself into my work. A 13 year old girl had just found the dead body of the father she adored. I wasn't going to let that go. So I worked damned hard. Every hour God sent. And I got the conviction. What I also got was fasttracked to DI."

"Which she didn't like."

"Oh no she hated it. Look Sally and I were never friends. We worked in the same department, thats all. She hated the fact I got promotion. She hated the fact I secured the conviction on Eleanor Lincoln and Peter McCarthy. She hated the fact that she was seen as the one that had done wrong and that I didn't react. I threw him out. As far as I was concerned she was welcome to the cheating little." Sandra faced her. "If that's why she wants to kill me then it's pretty pathetic."

"Yeah." Emily watched as Sandra tried to end the conversation. Suddenly paperwork was looking more and more attractive. "You know something? My dad was right about you."

"Was he?" Sandra rolled her eyes. She had no idea what Emily was talking about this time. "You do think you have to be the one to look after them all. Maybe Sally did order those two nightmares to kill you. But maybe it was nothing to do with back then. Maybe she just wants you out of the way so she can go for your job."

"Killing me seems a pretty extreme method of getting promotion." Sandra shook her head. "Nah I don't think so."

"Think about it. Nine years ago no one wanted anything to do with UCOS. It was a joke as far as the rest of the police were concerned. But then you headed up the unit. Handpicked your team. You turned my dad and the others into proper coppers again. Made UCOS what it is today, I mean anyone would be jealous of your clean up rate. I know I am." Emily watched as Sandra smiled slightly.

"Talking of those three idiots, where are they?"

#####################

Gerry shook his head as he waited for Jack to finised paying the barman. It seemed to him the case was never ending, so when Jack had suggested they stop for a drink on the way to the station he had agreed. He watched his friend as he thought about how the case had affected them all.

"You think we did the right thing, letting Brian interview Lincoln?" Gerry asked as he carried his drink across to the small table at the far side of the pub.

"You know Brian."

"Yeah." Gerry scoffed. "That's why I'm worried."

"Well don't be. He has Pushkar with him. It's going to be ok. Pushkar wont let him to anything stupid." Jack smiled slightly at Gerry's raised eyebrow. "Well nothing too stupid." He sipped his drink as Gerry laughed.

"Anyway, have you decided how we are going to go about interviewing Sally?" Gerry asked as Jack's eyes clouded over.

"I know Sally."

"Correction, you knew Sally." Gerry watched.

"She was difficult in those days. There was no love lost between her and the rest of the team. I worried that it would begin to affect the morale of the team. I considered asking for her to be moved. Or Sandra. When Sandra became eligable for promotion I didn't stop her." He raised a hand as Gerry opened his mouth. "Not that I wanted her to leave but after everything with Karl, I knew Sandra hated the gossiping. The way she felt she was pitied. Sandra getting promoted to Detective Inspector made Sally bitter. She may have had the man, but that didn't last long. Karl cheated on her with the cleaner, Lucy. Half his age and twice as stupid." He shook his head. Gerry stared into his pint.

"So you gonna talk to her?"

"Yeah." Jack drained his glass. "Yeah, I'll take your Emily with me. Come on." He was up and heading towards the door of the pub before Gerry realised he was being left behind.

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

A/N Not much more left now. Please review.


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer I do not own anything related to New Tricks. This is just for fun :D**

**I hear talk?**

Pushkar sat next to Brian as they both waited for Lincoln to be brought from the cells. Pushkar knew she had already been charged with abducting Sandra and was currently back on remand. It was her relationship with Sally Morris he wanted to know about. Brian rested his hands on the table in front of them as the door opened to allow Lincoln and her lawyer to enter.

"Hello Eleanor." Brian looked up as the skinny blonde stood opposite them.

"You're the bloke with the dog." She stated as he nodded.

"That's right. Look just sit down a minute." Brian watched as she sat down next to her lawyer. Pushkar pressed the record button on the tape.

"For the benefit of the tape the time is 14:25 on Thursday 26th May 2011. Those present are Eleanor Lincoln, her lawyer Peter Jones. Brian Lane and myself Sargaent Pushkar Guha." He folded his hands on the table and stared at the blonde who folded her arms and stared at him.

"You have told us you kidnapped Detective Superindendant Sandra Pullman." Brian started.

"Yeah. Eh, did your mutt ever turn up?"

"Scampi, yes yes he did." Brian stared at her. "See thats why I don't believe you are all that bad. I mean you were clearly concerned about my dog when I approached you."

"I ain't a monster." She narrowed her eyes. "I like dogs."

"So do I." Brian answered. "Why did you abduct Sandra?"

"I don't av to talk to you. You ain't even a real copper. Not anymore. He said." She nodded towards the suited man in the corner.

"No that's right. But this man 'ere." Brian kept his eyes on her "He is a real copper. You and McCarthy took Sandra and were going to kill her. That's right isn't it? I mean you certainly 'av form for it."

"No comment."

"Oh come on Eleanor." Pushkar sighed. "You know we already know about the deal with Morris. We know you were paid to kill her and from past experience we know you. You killed that landlord in cold blood. Left him for his 13 year old daughter to find his dead body. We know it wasn't you that was the innocent dragged into all this by your boyfriend. We also know Sally Morris turned up to visit you in prison on more than one occasion."

"If you know so much why am I even 'ere?" Eleanor sneered. Pushkar sighed as he realised it was not going to be easy to get her to talk.

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"Are you ready for this?" Emily took her jacket off as Jack nodded.

"Ready as I'll ever be. Look Emily, you are the only serving police officer going to be in that room. You take the lead." He held the door to the UCOS office open as Gerry picked up his coffee. "Gerry, you stay here. Keep an eye on Sandra. However much she thinks she has detached herself from the investigation she is still involved. It is still affecting her." Jack nodded towards the inner office where Sandra's blonde head could be seen bent over her paperwork. Emily nodded.

"Yeah, he's right Dad."

"I know." Gerry looked at the floor. He hadn't told the others but he had heard her crying in her sleep when she had stayed at his house. He knew that was something she would never admit to. She was the Guv after all. "So, how are you doing this? Formally charge her with corruption or keep it off the record?"

"I think I am going to make this formal. Strickland says we could, if we have enough evidence. Which I think we do." Emily followed Jack out of the office as Gerry made his way towards Sandra's office.

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"Yes Gerry?" Sandra didn't even look up from the folder she was reading.

"You alright Guv?"

"Why is everyone asking me that?" She snapped. "Emily was in here earlier on asking the same thing. Brian doesn't seem to know what to say to me and Jack is convinced I am going to fall apart at any moment. Well I am not. I am ok. For God's sake Gerry I have handled worse on my own before." She snapped the folder shut as Gerry raised his eyebrows.

"Really? You've been kidnapped, beaten up before and held hostage only to find out it was a former colleague that organised it? The same former colleague that broke up your engagement twenty years ago before? I am sorry I didn't realise." Gerry watched as Sandra looked away.

"That's enough Gerry."

"No Guv. It is not enough." Gerry snapped at her. "You are not on your own and the sooner you realise it the better!"

"I said that's enough." Sandra was furious. She was not going to get upset. Not again.

"Well stop being so pigheaded then." Gerry sulked as Sandra smirked.

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Gerry!"

"Sandra." She couldn't help but smile.

"Jack asked you to keep an eye on me didn't he?"

"Yeah. So."

"So I hate being here knowing Brian is talking to Lincoln and Jack and Emily have gone after Sally. And I am starving." She smiled slightly as Gerry shook his head.

"Right then. Pub. Come on."

"What?"

"Lunch and you are buying. Come on." Gerry grabbed her jacket and ushered her out of the office.

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Emily stared at the older woman. She found it difficult that she was the same rank as the woman opposite her. Sally was closer to her father's age than her own.

"You know why we are here." Emily started as Sally rolled her eyes.

"Why would that be?" Sally tried her best to look innocent.

"Sally Morris I am arresting you in connection with the conspiracy to abduct Detective Superintendant Sandra Pullman. You have the right to remain silent, it may go against you when questioned if you fail to mention anything you may later relay on in court." Emily felt Jack tense next to her. It had only meant to be an informal interview. Now she had taken it to the next level and Jack really wasn't sure they were ready to go for the arrest. He glanced at Emily as she held the older woman's glare.

"This is absurd!"

"Really? I don't think so. You know we have two people in custody who both state you went to visit them in prison. The records of you attending confirm this. Look Sally we know you have never been able to stand Sandra and we know you paid Lincoln and McCarthy money to kill Sandra." Jack decided now Emily had started he had to back her up.

"Visiting is not a crime."

"No that's right." Emily answered. "Hiring a hitman is."

"I'd start talking if I were you." Jack sat back in his chair as Sally's lawyer looked on uncomfortably. Sally had paid to have a fellow officer murdered and she wasn't denying it. Jack glared. It was going to be an interesting court case and he could see she was totally unrepentant. He hated to think of the way the court case was going to affect his friends, especially Sandra and Gerry.

A/N Please review. It was a bit too easy for Emily and Jack wasn't it? Is there more to find out? Nearly finished now. More soon x


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer I still don't own New Tricks.**

**Drinks and Confessions.**

Sandra sat at the table as Gerry walked towards the bar. She had to admit she was exhausted. However much she tried to distance herself from the case she couldn't do it. Even a mountain of paper work hadn't been enough to drag her mind away from what had happened to her. She shook her head, even sleep offered no escape. Everytime she closed her eyes she was back there. She was back there with McCarthy breathing down her neck as Lincoln laughed. She still didn't really know how she had got out of the situation but she was glad she had.

"Guv?" Gerry sat down as she snapped back to the present.

"Oh thanks." She picked up the white wine in front of her.

"You alright?"

"Don't start that again." She smiled as Gerry picked up his pint.

"Alright, but it is a bit wierd innit?"

"Wierd?" Sandra repeated. "How do you mean wierd?"

"Yeah I mean. We know this woman. We worked in the same building as her since UCOS was put together and now she tried to 'av you killed?"

"I know." Sandra stared in to the glass. "I thought we were going to have lunch. Not just stay here and get drunk. Is there any reason for you to be keeping me out of the office this afternoon?" She raised an eyebrow as Gerry shrugged.

"We needed to get something to eat."

"Gerry." She stared pointedly at him.

"Oh alright." Gerry sighed. "Look, Jack said he and Emily have arrested Morris. I just thought it might be a good idea if we made ourselves scarse for a bit."

"You thought wrong." Sandra stood up and marched towards the door as Gerry threw his paper napkin on the table and huffed as he followed her through the door.

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Jack walked through the corridors of the police station wondering if they really did have the evidence they needed. He knew Eleanor Lincoln was more than willing to move the blame away from herself but he had no idea if Pete Mccarthy would do the same. As he reached the UCOS office he couldn't help but think back to the time when he ran CID. He knew he was the most senior and probably the most qualified of all the men on the team but even in his days as the Chief Superindendant he had known Sandra would go far. Sally had been a different matter all together. She had never been a team player. Always competative but spiteful too. The two traits he hated to see in any copper. He walked over to the kettle in the corner of the office as Brian walked in.

"Well?"

"Thanks Jack. No sugar. I'm on a health kick. My Esther.."

"I wasn't asking about that Brian." Jack sighed as he pulled another mug from the cupboard.

"Oh right." Brian sat down and booted up his laptop. "I could ask you the same question. Now you know I don't listen to rumours but the general feeling is that Sally Morris has been arrested."

"Is it." Jack sighed.

"So you heard too?" Sandra stated as she barged in the office.

Jack glanced at her before looking towards Gerry. Sandra looked as angry as Hell and for one moment Jack couldn't work out why. It was only when he looked at her properly that he could see a glimpse of the frightened fourteen year old he had met decades earlier.

"Emily formally arrested her during the interview." Jack stated.

"On what evidence?"

"Sandra. The woman paid two people to abduct you and have you killed." Jack watched as the other two men fell silent.

"I know." Sandra almost barked. "But knowing and making it stick in court are two different things."

"Yes." Gerry answered as Jack looked over to him. "But we know she was visiting both Lincoln and McCarthy in prison."

"Not illegal."

"Unethical though, for a serving copper." Brian joined the conversation.

"So?" Sandra leant against the desk as Scampi raised his head. He gave up on any idea of being taken for a walk and settled back down behind the filing cabinet.

"So, when I talked to Lincoln she said that she was paid alot of money. I mean I'm talking enough to pay off a mortgage." Brian watched as Sandra nodded.

"And where did Sandra get that type of money?" Sandra watched as Pushkar walked in.

"Ma'am."

"Pushkar, I am not the bloody Queen. Now this better be good." She pointed at him as he nodded.

"Oh it is."

"Out with it then son." Brian prompted him.

"I just checked Morris' bank records. She inherited alot of money but the rest she had 'acquired' by bank loans. She paid the money into McCarthy's account." Pushkar folded his arms. "So, I had a chat with him. Clarky and I were there for ages but he was quite proud of himself. Confessed to it all. Named Sally as the woman who put him and his girlfriend up to it."

"But this was after Sally was charged." Sandra watched as Pushkar shrugged. Gerry couldn't help but smile. It seemed Emily was more like him than she thought.

"Concurrently I like to think."

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"At the same time." Brian filled in as Sandra narrowed her eyes.

"I know what it means Brian!" Sandra almost shouted.

The rain bounced off the tarmac and the body work of the cars as Sandra looked out over the car park. She had sent everyone home a while ago. Brian had been keen to get back to Esther as Mark was coming over. She smiled slightly, knowing how exited he was at the thought of becomming a grandfather. Jack had given Clarky a lift home so now she was left with the rain for company. And Gerry, she reminded herself. He was still there.

"Why are you still here anyway?" She turned as she watched him put his jacket on.

"Had to speak to Emily. It's Paula's birthday next week. The big 30! God I'm old." He laughed.

"Yeah you are." Sandra smiled.

"Enough of that. Thank you." He returned the smile. "Do you want this lift or not?"

"Well seeing as up until ten minutes ago my house was a crime scene and my car is still parked outside it then yeah I do."

"Come on then."

"I am Gerry! Oh this is typical. We close a case and you can't wait to get to the pub." Sandra walked through the office to grab her bag.

"That's. That's."

"True?" Sandra laughed as Gerry rolled his eyes.

"Come on." He held the door open for her to follow him.

"Gerry?"

"Yeah." He paused.

"Thanks." She slipped past him and walked away. All Gerry could do was wait and see what happened when they got to her house. He had a feeling it was the calm before the storm.

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A/N Just the epilogue left.


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer. I do not own New Tricks**

**Back to the Start.**

Sandra stared out of the car window as Gerry drove along the rain soaked streets towards her house. She desperately didn't want to go home but she knew it was something she had to face sooner or later. Her mood was beginning to match the weather as Gerry swung the car left into her street. She thought briefly about leavig UCOS or at least taking some of her long overdue leave but then she realised she still wanted to be around her boys. Even Scampi was growing on her.

"Sandra." Gerry turned the corner as they reached her house.

"What?"

"Are you alright?"

"Yes Gerry."

"I mean, you know." He nodded towards her house as she closed her eyes briefly.

"Yes. Well, I can't stay at yours forever." She opened the car door as Gerry raised an eyebrow.

"Don't suppose there's any chance of a cuppa is there?" Gerry tried his best charm smile.

"Yeah." Sandra smiled back. "Come on."

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Strickland stared at the report on his desk. Even though he knew Emily would write what she had, seeing it in black and white made his stomach churn. He'd been the commanding officer of a corrupt copper and he hadn't known it until she had acted. He turned the page and read the statement Emily had carefully transcribed from the tape. As he read he realised exactly how close Sandra had come to being brutally murdered. Somehow Sandra had arrived. He didn't quite know how but it seemed UCOS lived to fight another day. He closed the file and turned off the ignored computer next to him. It had been a long few weeks, but now that theh CPS had agreed to prosecute Sally Morris and Lincoln and McCarthy were back in prison for breaching their licence UCOS would be able to get back to normal. He shook his head as he grabbed his suit jacket. Even after all the years he had known Sandra Pullman he had no idea what normal actually was for her team. He switched the lights off and headed home.

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"Hello Jack." Esther smiled as she opened the door. Scampi barked his own greeting as he ran towards his master's friend.

"Esther hello." Jack smiled. Scampi wagged his tail as Esther stepped back to let him in. "Is Brian home?"

"Oh yes, he's home." Esther rolled her eyes. "He's in there" She pointed to the living room.

"Oh." Jack smiled. He knew Esther had put up with alot from his friend over the years and couldn't help but smile sympathetically. He had no idea how she had stayed with him through the OCD, Alcoholism and all the other obsessive behaviours that had plauged their marriage but it was obvious they still adored each other. Jack knew there was no way Brian would have survived without her.

"Will you stay for some dinner?" Esther hated the thought of Jack going home to an empty house.

"Thanks, but what about Mark and Francesca?"

"Oh, they went about an hour ago. Just popped into show the scan photos off. Wonderful, never had them in my day." Esther smiled as Brian emerged from the living room.

"Jack."

"Hello Brian." Jack smiled as he noticed the knitting on the kitchen table. It seemed Esther was really looking forward to being a grandmother. "Strickland called."

"Yes?"

"The CPS are going ahead with the prosecution. Lincoln, McCarthy and Morris are all going to trial on charges of abduction and conspiracy to murder." Jack watched as Esther shook her head sadly. Brian smiled.

"We got her!" Brian watched as Jack nodded.

"Still got to go to court, but with Lincoln's confession and the evidence." He smiled.

"Poor Sandra." Esther folded her arms. "It still isn't over is it?"

"It is luv." Brian answered.

"No, she's right Brian." Jack glanced at the floor. "It's going to court. Sally pleaded innocent, despite what she said in the interview. Sandra is going to have to give evidence. And Sally knows that."

"It's why she changed her plea. To twist the knife." Brian was beginning to get angry.

"Exactly." Jack nodded.

"So, what can we do?" Brian looked from his wife to Jack and back again. For a moment there was silence until Esther tutted. The men really were useless.

"The only thing you can do, Brian. Look after her."

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Gerry leant against the front door as Sandra stepped into the hallway. He felt sick, remembering the last time he had been there. He remembered the blood stained wall and carpet. At the time they suspected the blood had belonged to Sandra, now they knew it did. He watched as she gingerly touched the healing wound on the back of her head.

"Gerry?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you coming in or what?" She turned to him.

"Get the kettle on then." He rubbed his hands as she stepped towards the kitchen. She was glad to be home but felt uneasy. The furniture and things around her were familiar but she no longer felt safe around her own house.

"Gerry?"

"Yeah."

"You're not in any rush, are you?"

"Nah." He smiled. "I could cook?"

"No, I'll order a chinese." Sandra picked up her phone. "You ok to stay? For a while?"

Gerry nodded as he picked up the menu on the kitchen table. The boiling kettle the only noise in the room. He hated takeaway food, but if it meant Sandra felt a little easier with offering him an excuse not to leave her on her own then he would settle for it this time.

"Yeah, course." He read the menu and resisted the urge to throw it in the bin. "She is going down for this. You know that? She can't hurt you now."

"I know." Sandra's voice was smaller than she intended. She was still the Guv. Still the one that had to be in control.

"Good." Gerry nodded. "And you are not on your own with this. You know that yeah? The place has been a bit empty without you around." He shrugged. Sandra couldn't help but smile.

"Yeah, I know. Are we ordering this chinese or not?"

A/N I may write more New Tricks. We may not have seen the last of Sally Morris. Please review.


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